Why Promotion Processes Suck
- I have never been one to sugar coat or mince words. Sometimes these words have gotten me in trouble. The trouble always comes from those of rank. More specifically, above my own.
Now all of us have heard or uttered the obvious “wow, he’s (or she) has changed since they got promoted”. I’m sure the same has been said about me. But we all know that one, or several cops, who become complete unbearable assholes once they get a couple of stripes or bars. Why does this happen?
I recently saw a meme on a financial page with a quote that had me thinking for several days. The quote posed the following question,“does money or wealth change a person or does it bring out who they really are?”
I believe the parallels are similar. With money comes a certain amount of power. The same can be said about those cops who chase rank. Now there is nothing inherently wrong with going up for promotion to better your organization (and make a few dollars) if your knowledge and leadership are ready for the next level. Sadly, many cops who chase after promotion have motives that are self-centered and completely self-serving.
It is not leadership, responsibility, challenge or even money they seek. It is power. And they will step on the back of your neck to attain it.
Go read it all. Cops are cops the world over, and this gentleman has some pretty good insight that is applicable across jurisdictions.
The Salty Sarge is linked on the right hand side of the blog.
The Salty Sarge is linked on the right hand side of the blog.
Labels: promotions
posted by SCC at 12:03 AM
57 Comments:
It has been forever said, those who seek promotion are the last one's who should be granted it.
I like the quote from the movie scarface, real power is taken, not granted.
Cpd is fubar.
My character has been bred and instilled in me from birth. I have served in the Marines in two combat zones. I have served my community in many ways. The most important factor in my service has come from the man that put me on this earth. Through that I've learn to do the right thing, and at times have failed but know better and picked myself up. 3510 s Mich or 1300 w Jackson are not places making us the officers we are.
Learn as much as you can from great leaders on this job. If you wanna know who you are look in the mirror. Ask yourself if you'd want to be lead by yourself. Fuck the politians, the bosses, the nay sayers, and the shitheads. It comes down to you and what you'd do when it counts. Fetal? Are you gonna let the future Cdr Bauer down or are you going to be there. It's not in the ranks. It's in the officer. That's why this is different than other professions You either make a difference or not regardless of rank and we all know is who is who.
Per academy staff, next Sgt class starting in May. Will be a few more classes off this list. If you're close congrats, it's a great job. Don't listen to the people who say it's the worst job on the departmemt. It is what you make of it.
My favorites are:
1) The guy who used to butt heads with every sergeant on the watch, over every little thing, who then becomes sergeant and becomes everything he used to complain about.
2) The guy who used to do-nothing as a P.O., then becomes sergeant and then wants you to go out and be super cop.
3) The micro-managing LT or above who has his nose in every piece of business, usually making things more complicated than they need to be.
There is no doubt that the division between supervisors and patrolmen is so thick you couldn’t cut it with a chain saw. They stick together no matter what. Even when they know how terrible their fellow white shirt may be, they still won’t admit it and turn a blind eye to the behavior. There will always be a double standard.
Approximately 75% of all CPD promotions to lieutenant and above are based on nepotism, cronyism, bribery including so-called cash "campaign contributions", and sexual favors. The remaining promotions are given to those that "don't make waves". Competence, intelligence, street experience and leadership qualities are virtually irrelevant. Pass the Kool-Aid.
CLOUT RULES!
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/03/13/graphic-video-gang-member-fatally-shot-inside-utah-courtroom.html
Off topic but related. The feds and DOJ are such hypocrites. If this had been a CPD officer, they would have insisted this video be released almost immediately. Don't get me wrong. This was a great shooting and a happy ending. Yet, we have to wear a body camera and a separate dash camera mic and those videos are immediately available, along with my names. At the same time the feds release a video, four years later, after a FOIA and keep the officer's name anonymous. Now go get me an ISR.
It’s not money. Most cops come on the job young, no life experience other than college or some manual labor job in life. No experience from a real job and most likely no management experience. So what happens, they get promoted and it goes to their head and now they get to boss people around,simple. It’s more psychological than money. The adults on the job that held a real job and had training in management, not the bs police management training, huge difference, know how to treat people.
Yes entitlement. Doesn’t stop at promotions, just as regular blue shirts. In certain districts I’m sure you have people on days with under 3years assigned to an early car or working the desk or some made up spot inside. It’s unreal you have more senior officers that want to work an early car and get told there is no room all early spots are filed. I guess seniority don’t mean nothing. Yes I know car assignments are not by bid. This is a venting post just frustrated how things work be safe.
Yes entitlement. Doesn’t stop at promotions, just as regular blue shirts. In certain districts I’m sure you have people on days with under 3years assigned to an early car or working the desk or some made up spot inside. It’s unreal you have more senior officers that want to work an early car and get told there is no room all early spots are filed. I guess seniority don’t mean nothing. Yes I know car assignments are not by bid. This is a venting post just frustrated how things work be safe.
they get the early cars cause they are the workers and you are the dog
The Salty Sarge kicks ASS!
Comparing a SGT to being rich ???
Kinda like saying the manager of Walmart is powerful.
POWER
the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events
Most of you forget when you were NEW on the job and all your friends said DUDE YOU CHANGED.
How about the new recruit in 25. A kid with no clout was assigned to be trained on days. Last minute little girl's daddy throws his weight (alderman A.R.) makes his call and guess what? Alderman's little girl is on days and no clout kid gets bumped. Bet she already has daddy lining up her spot. And Tony will take all the credit and get promoted. Great system.
The great leaders I have read about, were never so proud they couldn't kneel before God and ask for His guidance.
J.J.
amazing to me it took him this long to figure out most people are in it for themselves. that's the way it should be. if there is nothing in it for someone why would they want the promotion in the first place? the important thing is character. there are plenty of people with the skills to be supervisors but a lot of people are missing the basic human decency that is part of being a good one.
this pretty much applies across the board to human beings in all walks of life, not just cops.
Look at our new Sgt. John C. This guy just made it less than 4 months ago and he is already super salty. LIKE REALLY? You came from Narcotics so are you upset you are back on a watch as a supervisor? can't be that bad. What do I know. I'm a blue shirt for life.
I have one goal for the day if I ever become a supervisor. Everyone that comes to work goes home safe and still employed.
nonymous said...
It’s not money. Most cops come on the job young, no life experience other than college or some manual labor job in life. No experience from a real job and most likely no management experience. So what happens, they get promoted and it goes to their head and now they get to boss people around,simple. It’s more psychological than money. The adults on the job that held a real job and had training in management, not the bs police management training, huge difference, know how to treat people.
3/13/2018 01:45:00 AM
In my academy class in 1968, a class of about 30, only five people in the entire group were not veterans . I think that made a difference. Most of the group were older, 25-30 years of age. The max age to come on without military service was 31.
As an Officer, I respect my Supervising Sergeant who leads
by example and not by threats!! This Sergeant is what I call a “LEADER”
Unfortunately, there are few Sergeants like this.
To work for a Sergeant who treats you with the upmost respect is a blessing.
To work for a Sergeant who actually cares about your wellbeing is a blessing.
To work for a Sergeant who cares about your family is a blessing.
To work for a Sergeant who leads by example is the one who inspires me to do
my best, to go out and do the right things. My work ethics stay strong and not crippled
by a Supervisor who lacks all of the above.!!
To my Sergeant who displays the above, I salute you!!
In a nut shell the department suffers from inbreeding.
The sad part is that the bosses don’t realize that being promoted in the CPD means about the same as being “the cleanest monkey in the shit house at the zoo”. The CPD promotional exam and any other aspect of moving around to different units in the CPD has as much integrity and legitimacy as the dirtiest whore house in Las Vegas. The city of chicago has been inherently corrupt since its founding. The feds assigned to political corruption teams in chicago are the biggest than anywhere else in the country. And rightly so they should be. The CPD just follows suit with being the most illegitimate and politically corrupt department in the city. From top to bottom, it’s WHO you know. It will never be WHAT you know. The promotional process is just the tip of the iceberg in this fake ass dept. “merit”?!?!!?? Anyone with enough time on to have taken a promotion test knows exactly why the “merit” system is beyond repair and needs to be scrapped completely. But then again the amount of cheating will then sky rocket. Subject matter experts is a group of people from within the dept that determines THE ACTUAL TEST QUESTIONS TO THE TEST. But it’s ok because as long as your in the right noble group you will be called out repedetly about your rampant cheating, but you will only be investigated by someone with as much talent as an 8 year old, so nothing will happen.
I have a relative who is a LEO in a Southern State. He started his career at age 18, and has been promoted over the years because he works hard and is good at what he does. His subordinates respect him. He has designed programs that have won awards by LEO Organizations and have been copied by other departments. Then the politicians brought in a new Chief. The new Chief is an over-educated “rocket cop” who has moved around to departments in different states as he rocketed his way to the top of the food chain. He also has the whole “diversity thing” going for him. The first thing the new Chief did was demote all of the Captains and Lieutenants in the Department, busting them down to Sergeant. Many were just flat out fired. He did this to make room for his over-educated “rocket cop” buddies - primarily younger men and women “of color” who have Masters degrees in Criminal Justice and very little actual experience. My relative and his peers who still have a few years to go before retirement now spend a lot of their time cleaning up the messes these new know-it-all bosses create. It is our great hope that the Rocket Chief moves on soon and takes his buddies with him.
The best is the dudes that hate the job and department. They cry and bitch about everything. Then these dudes get promoted through whatever corrupt means and now they live and breath the job. Now they cry and talk shit about “bitter, dog ass coppers”. It’s actually quite phenomenal what a tiny little amount of power will do to a guy. Sad and patchetic too. These same dudes forget that 96% of supervisors in this dept are complete messes on and off duty. Their worthless and inept. Their not getting the respect at home, so they lose control at work on people so they can feel important. It’s hilarious.
Transparency is vital in the process for any legitimacy to be had and top score will 'win'. Simple math. Time in, education, training, meritorious actions and written test score. These add up to 100, but the weighting/proportioning of these will be most important. Simplest would be each component is worth 20 points. Add them up and the that's the ranking order.
Post these scores along with names in order finished again, for all to see.
Corruption hates sunlight. Non corrupt have no reason to.
Heck, this happens with just the badge, to some cops.
While it is easy to become jaded and have a bad attitude in any profession, some people start out with one as a police officer - and POWER is one of the reasons why. It is power over others, rather than a love and respect for the Rule of Law, that fuels them.
And the only ones who can do something about it are other cops.
Maybe offer the fuckin tests more than once every 10 years and some of the nepotism and rampant cheating will slow down a bit. You might even (God forbid) improve morale. We all saw what a disaster the last 5 Lt. exams have been. Maybe if they offered it more often we wouldn’t have these problems?? Can you imagine the amount of nepotism and cheating that goes on for a sgt and dics test?!? Just look at the fact that it takes fucking weeks to get your results back. It’s a scantron test!! There’s not enough time or space to discuss the “merit” process in how despicably corrupt that is. Oh well. Nothing will change unless you leave this shit hole city and state and find a truly legitimate police dept somewhere. You have under 8 years on. Leave. Quickly.
I chose my dignity over being an asskisser/someone s boy. It is ironic how many nincompoops get promoted. Promoted, then everything is legit.🤔
It’s the big three sins that emanate from the sin of Pride, Money, Power, and Sex....
It's a question of advancing for your own personal gain and gratification or whether you're motivated by a desire for servant leadership. Without a desire for servant leadership you're just another putz.
Hey 12:43... Very well said and so true! We're our own worst enemy!
Approximately 75% of all CPD promotions to lieutenant and above are based on nepotism, cronyism, bribery including so-called cash "campaign contributions", and sexual favors. The remaining promotions are given to those that "don't make waves". Competence, intelligence, street experience and leadership qualities are virtually irrelevant. Pass the Kool-Aid.
==============
Exactly the same way it is handled for all other city jobs. Why should the PD be any different?
Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Lord Acton - 1887
Years ago, in a grievance against my boss I was told by her boss:
"If it's between you & your 'friendship' with your boss and her paycheck, what do you think she'll favor? The company pays her, not you. Stay away from everybody in management. They are not your friends."
Tho, I had bosses who did (shockingly) stand up for me and say I was a good employee. They didn't have to do that.
There were/are good bosses. There were ass-lickers for sure!
Some were told to leave, some were told they were going no further and quite a few told me I was making more money (with overtime) and could have my freedom (work hours, work areas, shifts, vacations) rather than being pigeonholed at the whim of this or that boss. "My bosses hate me, my employees hate me." - a retired boss.
I'm retired. Never miss it one minute. It was a different time, only worse now.
NOT ILLINOIS. NOT LAW.
The academy staff barely know their job, they don’t do Human Resources or Management and Labor Affairs
Bullshit. I wanted to get promoted because I was always taught to strive to be the best and never be mediocre. Some people could care less and don’t want a promotion and I totally respect that and I don’t feel superior or better than them. It’s not about power, it was a goal of mine from day one.
CPD Promotions have been corrupt since Day One. Even back in the old Academy Days there were recruits that were already politically Clouded Up, and the rumors abounded about them going places fast on the Job were all come to pass. A few are still big Bosses today, and have never really been anything more than your average policeman. CPD is all a scam, and trust me you'll never get a fair shake on the job, because it's 100% FAKE, from Academy to Retirement. The Feds should have shut this shit down decades ago, but they are on the take Cowards too, almost fully corrupt as Trump is exposing. So don't think thes big Gold Star bosses are anything more than Wagonman material, because it's all a hoax. Many of these doofisses have screwed up way more than most cops, but if you ve got a Pol in your Pocket, it's all it takes to make you a star from start to finish. So follow these suckhole sycophants if you want, or shove your heads up their ass, but remember that 95% of these clowns are just clouted buffoons, as are most who drop to their Politicianspuppetmasyers to get on all the good Specialized Units, etc. you see, they've been corrupt from Day One, but do not give 2 shits about cheating you out of a promotion or spot. They lack integrity, are 2-Faced and Corrupt Back-Stabbers, and they walk among us, like nothing 's happening and they are just more superior than you. Nepotism, Clout, and Pay to Play run the CPD, and you, Joe straight guy or gal, are just a pawn to them, despite all the smoke they blow up your asses to trick you into working hard to make themselves look good. Don't be fools and get yourselves killed for these Assholes. Wise Up, and Live to retire or find another job.
How about the new recruit in 25. A kid with no clout was assigned to be trained on days. Last minute little girl's daddy throws his weight (alderman A.R.) makes his call and guess what? Alderman's little girl is on days and no clout kid gets bumped. Bet she already has daddy lining up her spot. And Tony will take all the credit and get promoted. Great system.
3/13/2018 08:04:00 AM
Best to learn early how it works.
What do I know. I'm a blue shirt for life.
These statements ring true goof. Still jealous of the man that made it off score.
Your partner must be proud to be riding with a clown.
entitlement. Doesn’t stop at promotions, just as regular blue shirts. In certain districts I’m sure you have people on days with under 3years assigned to an early car or working the desk or some made up spot inside. It’s unreal you have more senior officers that want to work an early car and get told there is no room all early spots are filed. I guess seniority don’t mean nothing. Yes I know car assignments are not by bid. This is a venting post just frustrated how things work be safe.
they get the early cars cause they are the workers and you are the dog
3/13/2018 06:43:00 AM
Keep on working hard charger. You can make a worker into a dog but not a dog into a worker. Glad to be retired for 5 years. So glad I left.
Look at our new Sgt. John C. This guy just made it less than 4 months ago and he is already super salty. LIKE REALLY? You came from Narcotics so are you upset you are back on a watch as a supervisor? can't be that bad. What do I know. I'm a blue shirt for life.
3/13/2018 08:47:00 AM
That guy helped me out during a family emergency and didn't ask any questions. Never gets on people for activity and takes care of his people regularly. Not sure what you have an issue with but apparently you like to try and talk shit under anonymous. That sgt is one of the good ones. You sound like a jealous, bitter prick. Glad your a blue shirt for life. Hopefully your single so you don't raise any assholes kids who take after their shit talking anonymous father. Go FY.
025 -3rd watch
Anonymous Anonymous said...
How about the new recruit in 25. A kid with no clout was assigned to be trained on days. Last minute little girl's daddy throws his weight (alderman A.R.) makes his call and guess what? Alderman's little girl is on days and no clout kid gets bumped. Bet she already has daddy lining up her spot. And Tony will take all the credit and get promoted. Great system.
3/13/2018 08:04:00 AM
Years ago when I came on recruits coming out of the academy didn’t want days. They wanted either 3rd watch or midnights to learn the job
They wanted to be the police. Nowadays at least half the recruits don’t want to be the police , just want the salary and benefits. I hear recruits in the academy saying they will be on days right out the the academy and will be inside right after probation. And the bosses let this happen. It’s an accepted practice on the CPD
Anonymous said...
Look at our new Sgt. John C. This guy just made it less than 4 months ago...
Sorry poster but JC is good people. Takes care of his people and doesn't push bullshit numbers on people like the new sgts have done in 002 and 003.
025 Lifer
Promotions legit, ha, ha,ha ,ha. I said it before , i'll say it again. 30% are given the job through merit up to lietenant and at least 30% cheat up to lietenant. After that its all politics , no testing involved. that's why the CPD can cover up murders and dump bloody mattresses without anyone investigating. CPD should be taken over by the fbi and totally revamped.
Power, like a desolating pestilence, pollutes everything it touches. Pierre Buche Shelley
Then you have Wheezie who’s dumber than a bag of hammers but she’s really NOBLE.
When you are the supervisor you have to lead, supervise and manage any people. Lets face it, we work with some goof balls, who should be ringing orders at McDonalds. They abuse their authority, sometimes use excessive force, blow off jobs and just generally do some really stupid shit. These guyz account for just a few officers (and supervisors too) of the many good working cops out there, but they give you so much grief you are start to think everyone is like them...all of the time. The department leadership which is much higher than me, holds me accountable and responsible for the actions of those goof balls on the Watch. Not to mention the civil suit attorneys and federal court judges and federal juries who want me to go down the tubes for the stupid shit that officer goof ball did. Most days, I wish I was a patrolman or detective again. All I had to worry about was myself.
They got power. They took your promotion.
like the new sgts have done in 002 and 003.
speaking of new sgts in 003.....MERIT SGT EC....the former foot soilder of some alderman in 012 is a train wreck. doesnt have a clue about anything and is ALWAYS giving out incorrect info to p.o.'s. Please somebody take him back to 012 as a foot guy supervisor or driver for some alderman already.
Years ago when I came on recruits coming out of the academy didn’t want days. They wanted either 3rd watch or midnights to learn the job
They wanted to be the police. Nowadays at least half the recruits don’t want to be the police , just want the salary and benefits. I hear recruits in the academy saying they will be on days right out the the academy and will be inside right after probation. And the bosses let this happen. It’s an accepted practice on the CPD
^See, it's like this, years ago when we came on the job police weren't hated and vilified like we are today. Years ago we weren't going to prison or or becoming financially ruined for performing our official duties. Those recruits, I can't blame them.
CPD is in self preservation mode, and the goal here is to avoid paying some ghetto turd 100K of your hard earned dollars.
Have a nice day.
Of course its power. At least for the vast majority. Look at how every one of these exempt cannot just retire and go away. They have to use the new outside connections they made on the outside by kissing ass and prostituting themselves and providing favors. They become chief's of police of suburban departments, state departments, and other city departments. They run for mayor. They run the bullshit crime commission. They even become the highly over paid director of a memorial foundation that is supposed to be not for profit. They can't just retire and go home and make up for lost time with their family. Why? They are too fkg important to let their spouse be the boss. They can't let go of that power image they created in their own mind.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
My favorites are:
1) The guy who used to butt heads with every sergeant on the watch, over every little thing, who then becomes sergeant and becomes everything he used to complain about.
2) The guy who used to do-nothing as a P.O., then becomes sergeant and then wants you to go out and be super cop.
3) The micro-managing LT or above who has his nose in every piece of business, usually making things more complicated than they need to be.
==========================================================================================================
In 20 years, I’ve met them all. #3 is very popular on this Department. I’ve learned to do less notifications when he/she working on my shift........ it’s bad when they’re the W/C (WOL for the rookies) and much worse when they hit the street riding on jobs as the “Field Lt”. 19-Ps end up as useless documentation and a couple hours of downtime while the bs is put on paper for future scrutinization.
I knew it was only a matter of time before someone posted about "Sgt". EC in 003. You are right, he doesn't have a clue. He was a pretty good foot guy in 013 and a real nice guy but as far as Police work, forget it, he's never done it. I didn't realize how far this Department had sunk until I saw his name on the promotion list a while back.
I quit
I've served in the Marines in two combat zones.
(I helped the white shoe brokers on Wall Street make big profits)
KOOL A.D.
Look at our new Sgt. John C. This guy just made it less than 4 months ago and he is already super salty. LIKE REALLY? You came from Narcotics so are you upset you are back on a watch as a supervisor? can't be that bad. What do I know. I'm a blue shirt for life.
3/13/2018 08:47:00 AM
Shut the fuck up you piss and moan mother fucker. This guy guy did more work in a month than you'll ever do and he takes care of the people on the watch. Would even take care of a big mouth like you. Miserable fuck
Anonymous said...
like the new sgts have done in 002 and 003.
speaking of new sgts in 003.....MERIT SGT EC....the former foot soilder of some alderman in 012 is a train wreck. doesnt have a clue about anything and is ALWAYS giving out incorrect info to p.o.'s. Please somebody take him back to 012 as a foot guy supervisor or driver for some alderman already.
3/13/2018 10:22:00 PM
Nope. He’s all yours. He’s tied to Judge Chevere, too. All the clout in the world won’t make him a competent sergeant, though. He’s a perfect example of what’s wrong with the merit process.
Anonymous said...
CPD Promotions have been corrupt since Day One.
****
One of the best posts. Well said.
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